Setting aside Ye Cang, the combat loser, the fully armed Astral Express crew’s combat power was enough to move unimpeded across a planet of medium civilization level.
Although Herta Space Station belonged to an Emanator of Erudition, based on the data in the Astral Express’s archives, no Emanator-level combat power other than “Lady Herta” seemed to have appeared there.
So, theoretically, as long as they guarded against meme contamination, the other dangers they might encounter would not be completely beyond the train crew’s ability to handle.
Mr.
Yang had already completed a risk assessment before the train landed.
Now he took the initiative to stand at the very front of the group, acting as the pathfinder.
Dan Heng held Cloud-Piercer, slowing his pace to guard the rear.
The entire Herta Space Station was silent, utterly lifeless.
Just as its name suggested, it was like a pitch-black tower floating and sinking in the dark universe.
Ye Cang said nothing.
He only quietly observed his surroundings, his fingers lightly rubbing the leather cover of the Death Diary.
So far, he had not found any important information worth recording.
Himeko raised her wrist.
The mini terminal on her watch projected a palm-sized holographic map of Herta Space Station.
The Navigator rotated the three-dimensional miniature space station, her amber eyes carrying a hint of suspicion.
After a brief moment of thought, she spoke: “It seems to have suffered an external invasion.
The visible structures of this space station have already changed…
Everyone, be careful.”
“Our current location is the space station platform, the support cabin.” Mr.
Yang’s sharp gaze swept the surroundings.
He slowly said, “Logically, if the space station could not escape destruction, the primary evacuation route for all personnel would be here.
But…
look at these parked ships.
There are basically no signs of activation or escape.”
He raised a strong flashlight.
The pale white cold light fell on the surrounding interstellar ships and escape pods.
His brows furrowed slightly.
“It seems our deduction is correct.
To prevent the spread of that unknown meme, the space station’s staff chose to make this place their grave.”
“A truly admirable group of people.” Dan Heng said.
Ye Cang tugged at the corner of his mouth.
But the words that came out were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone’s heads, “Perhaps, they never had a chance to escape at all.”
At these words, the train crew immediately fell silent.
March raised her arm and lightly elbowed Ye Cang beside her.
Her pretty face was slightly pale.
“You, don’t suddenly tell horror stories!”
Ye Cang chuckled and spread his hands: “I was just stating a hypothesis.
No need to take it seriously.”
Dan Heng sighed.
“But so far, all your hypotheses have been coming true one by one.”
Ye Cang blinked.
“…”
It seemed…
that was indeed the case?
March couldn’t help but shiver.
She stared at the black-haired youth beside her with a resentful look.
“It’s all your fault, you jinx!”
Ye Cang shrugged.
He was just about to say something when, without paying attention, he bumped headfirst into Mr.
Yang’s broad, solid back.
“What…”
He sidled around and poked his head out from behind Mr.
Yang.
He saw this unsmiling middle-aged man staring intently at the darkness ahead in the cabin section, his metal cane held horizontally before him, clearly in a battle-ready stance.
Mr.
Yang said nothing, but Himeko behind him had already reacted first, shouting in a low voice: “Everyone, prepare for impact!”
(T/N: It’s the First Impact!)
Ye Cang still hadn’t figured out what was going on, but March beside him and Dan Heng behind him had already raised their weapons in perfect sync.
One drew her bow and nocked an arrow.
The other leveled his spear and stepped forward, facing the distant darkness.
Only then did his eyesight barely catch a few twisted black shadows, charging out from the thick darkness!
Thud thud thud
Sharp cold light cut through the darkness.
The twisted humanoid monsters heavily stepped onto the metal floor of the platform connecting bridge, their blade-like arms rotating as they slashed toward Mr.
Yang at the very front of the group.
“Voidrangers of the Antimatter Legion!”
Mr.
Yang did not unleash his strongest attack, “Synthetic Black Hole.” Instead, he calmly swung his cane and blocked the Voidranger Trampler charging at the very front.
The monster’s entire body was covered in pitch-black armor.
An ominous gray-blue flame burned atop its head.
The golden blades on its arms were incomparably sharp, as if they could easily cut through metal and energy shields.
But unfortunately, they had hit a brick wall!
Mr.
Yang casually waved his cane.
The charging monster flew backward at even greater speed.
Before it even landed, March froze it with an arrow, pinning it in place.
As for the other monsters that rushed forward one after another, they were all killed by Himeko and Dan Heng, unable to survive even a single exchange.
Because his companions handled it so easily, Ye Cang never had a chance to act.
So he was happy to take it easy, quietly observing the monsters’ appearances and attack patterns.
In just two minutes, twenty-three similarly shaped monsters poured out from the darkness.
All were clad in pitch-black armor, or rather, that pitch-black metallic armor was their body itself.
“You’re probably seeing Voidrangers for the first time.
Let me explain briefly.”
Dan Heng, while clearing the Voidrangers rushing forward, still had energy to spare to educate Ye Cang about the monsters: “Those holding heavy cannons are called Eliminators.
Those with dual blades on their arms are called Reavers.
Those casting spells bare-handed are called Distorters…
They are Voidrangers of the Antimatter Legion’s vanguard.
Not strong in combat, but extremely numerous.”
Ye Cang instantly understood these monsters’ status in the Antimatter Legion and gave a definitive verdict: “In short, they’re goons.”
“Correct.” Dan Heng nodded.
Cloud-Piercer swept horizontally, directly cutting two Voidranger Tramplers in half at the waist.
He turned his head: “There’s a lot of Antimatter Legion material in the Astral Express’s data room.
You can look when you have time.
Walking the path of Trailblaze, we will inevitably clash with the hounds of [Destruction].”
“The more comprehensive the information you have, the more calmly you’ll handle enemies in the future.”
“I will.” Ye Cang smiled and raised his little pistol to deliver a perfect finishing shot to a Voidranger on the ground that wasn’t quite dead yet.
There was no way around it.
Before he could replicate enough powerful skills with the [Imagination: Hand of Memory], his combat ability was truly stretched thin.
Especially right now, to prevent irreversible damage to Herta Space Station, Mr.
Yang, Dan Heng, and Himeko were all holding back their ultimate moves, not daring to use them freely…
They weren’t giving Ye Cang any chance to replicate them.
So, Ye Cang, holding the divine replication skill, could only choose to trust in science and truth for now.